“The fact that we live at the bottom of a deep gravity well, on the surface of a gas covered planet going around a nuclear fireball 90 million miles away and think this to be normal is obviously some indication of how skewed our perspective tends to be.”
― Douglas Adams, The Salmon of Doubt: Hitchhiking the Galaxy One Last Time
It is impossible to please everyone. Absolutely impossible.
So why, as authors, do we keep insisting that we have to?
Of course we want our hard work to be loved and appreciated by everyone who chooses to read it. That's our goal. But as a goal, it's also a highly unlikely one to achieve.
So why, as authors, do we keep insisting that we have to?
Of course we want our hard work to be loved and appreciated by everyone who chooses to read it. That's our goal. But as a goal, it's also a highly unlikely one to achieve.
The reason why such a goal is unrealistic has to do with perspective. Everyone has one. And everyone's perspective is different.
Perspective is shaped by a slew of things--what we are taught, where we live, the values we embrace, our beliefs, our education, our expectations, our trials, our joys, etc...
And no two people will ever have the same experience.
It is the same with reading a book. No two people will ever read the same book and have the same reaction. Oh, some reactions will be similar, of course. But even so, it will not be exactly the same.
Just read the reviews for any of your favorite books. There will be people who absolutely hated the book that you hail a masterpiece. It's true.
As an author, we need to remember three things: 1) Everyone's perspective is different, 2) Everyone is entitled to their perspective, and 3) In most cases, trying to change someone's perspective is a losing battle.
Perspective is a funny thing for sure because everyone believes their perspective is the right one.
The best thing we can do is to respect that.
The second best thing: open our minds to other possibilities, and remember we all are walking the same path but we are also wearing different shoes.
Perspective is shaped by a slew of things--what we are taught, where we live, the values we embrace, our beliefs, our education, our expectations, our trials, our joys, etc...
And no two people will ever have the same experience.
It is the same with reading a book. No two people will ever read the same book and have the same reaction. Oh, some reactions will be similar, of course. But even so, it will not be exactly the same.
Just read the reviews for any of your favorite books. There will be people who absolutely hated the book that you hail a masterpiece. It's true.
As an author, we need to remember three things: 1) Everyone's perspective is different, 2) Everyone is entitled to their perspective, and 3) In most cases, trying to change someone's perspective is a losing battle.
Perspective is a funny thing for sure because everyone believes their perspective is the right one.
The best thing we can do is to respect that.
The second best thing: open our minds to other possibilities, and remember we all are walking the same path but we are also wearing different shoes.
